International Research Updates

A large consortium of researchers from six countries have definitively identified a new ALS gene called TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) by performing a rigorous study that involved sequencing of more than 2800 people with ALS compared with more than 6000 control samples. Canadian researcher Dr. Guy Rouleau, Director of the Montreal Neurological Institute and his colleague Dr. Patrick A.

Today Biogen Idec reported results from a Phase 3 trial investigating dexpramipexole (dex) in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The company said that the trial failed to show slowing of functional decline or improved survival and failed to demonstrate efficacy. Based on these results, the company is discontinuing development of dexpramipexole in ALS.